South Sudanese President Salva Kiir will commence his visit to Bahr el Ghazal region starting Tuesday, the minister at the president’s office, Mayiik Ayii Deng said.
“His tour will start in Terekeka and end in Lol State,” Deng told reporters at a press conference in the capital, Juba on Friday.
“By this tour, the president has the objective to disseminate the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan and to invite the people of South Sudan to support the leadership and parties implementing this agreement,” he added.
Deng said the president’s commitment to peace was “irreversible” and will, during the tour, assure citizens that the civil war has ended.
“The president will therefore assure citizens along the way that peace has returned to the country and war has officially ended. He will ask the citizens to embrace peace among themselves,” he said.
According to the minister, the president will directly listen to people’s concerns, needs and their advice to the leadership during the tour.
“The president greatly values ordinary peoples’ views and so he will be keen to listen to the people and have first-hand information on their living conditions,” he explained.
Deng further said Kiir will also encourage citizens to participate in the national dialogue process and urge them to use this opportunity to express their views on the future of the country.
“Specifically, the president will implore citizens to begin to heal their differences and all forms of communal violence and consolidate local peace,” he stressed.
In December 2016, President Kiir launched the national dialogue initiative with the objective of reconciling and uniting the East African nation torn apart by more than five years of civil war.
Meanwhile, Deng said the president also intends to assess in person the economic poles of the country, especially in regards to the road infrastructure, which is vital for the country’s economy.
The minister appealed to citizens, state and county governments to freely interact with the president as he passes through their areas.
He said although the president is unable to tour the whole country, he is set to hold rallies in state capitals and large population centers.